Islam
Salam. peace be upon you all,
I am here heeding the call of the Buddhism thread, and in the meanwhile doing some da'wa. This thread is about Islam, the essential beliefs and teachings of Islam. Please, do not vilify this noble effort by posting "Yo Mohomed iz tah pedo-worlord LULZ" stuff. This thread aim is to discuss practices and beliefs and to clarify general misconceptions; it is not a place to discuss history, theology nor politics unless it is strictly neccessary and unavoidable to further a certain, good-intentioned argument.
Warning: it is going to be a dense, long post
Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
Let us comence with a review of the general beliefs of Islam, most of them Sunni based. Note that my view is always subject to correction/addition by any of my muslim brothers in this thread. Specially MasterAdnin, that could make a few sidenotes in Shi'a specific practices. Note that I take the difference of Sunni and Shi'a sects for known, if you have any questions abut this, please ask.
Beliefs
Muslims believe that God revealed his final message to humanity through the Islamic prophet Muhammad (s) via the angel Gabriel. They consider Muhammad to have been God's final prophet, the "Seal of the Prophets", and the Qur'an to be the revelations he received in his 23 years of preaching. Muslims hold that all of God's messengers since Adam preached the message of Islam — submission to the will of the one God. To Muslims, Islam is the eternal religion, described in the Qur'an as "the primordial nature upon which God created mankind".
As a historical phenomenon, however, Islam was originated in Arabia in early 7th century. Islamic texts depict Judaism and Christianity as prophetic successor traditions to the teachings of Abraham. The Qur'an calls Jews and Christians "People of the Book", and distinguishes them from polytheists. However, Muslims believe that parts of the previously revealed scriptures, the Tawrat (Torah) and the Injil (Gospels), had become distorted as indicated in the Qur'an — either in interpretation, in text, or both. Therefore, Islam wasn’t a new religion in its conception; it was the return to the original message given to Abraham, free of human distortion.
Islamic belief has six main components — belief in God; his revelations; his angels; his messengers; the Day of Judgement; and the divine decree.
God in Islam
The fundamental concept in Islam is the oneness of God (tawhīd): monotheism which is simple and uncompounded, not composed or made up of parts. The oneness of God is the first of Islam's five pillars, expressed by the Shahadah (testification). By declaring the Shahadah, a Muslim attests to the belief that there are no gods but God, and that Muhammad is God's messenger.
In Arabic, God is called Allah. Etymologically, this name is thought to be derived from a contraction of the Arabic words al- (the) and ilah (deity, masculine form) — al-ilah meaning "the God". The word Allah is also used by Arab speaking Christian and Jewish people to refer to God. The Qur'an insists, Muslims believe, and historians affirm that Muhammad and his followers worship the same God as the Jews. The Quran's Allah is the same Creator God who covenanted with Abraham. However, Muslims reject the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, seeing it as akin to polytheism. God is described in a chapter (sura) of the Qu'ran as: "...God, the One and Only; God, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him".
Now, the essential beliefs of Islam are summarized in the Five Pillars of Islam, which are (generally accepted):
Shahadah
The basic creed or tenet of Islam is found in the shahādatān ("twin testimonies"): 'ašhadu 'al-lā ilāha illā-llāhu wa 'ašhadu 'anna muħammadan rasūlu-llāh, or "I testify that there is none worthy of worship except God and I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of God As the most important pillar, this testament is a foundation for all other beliefs and practices in Islam. Ideally, it is the first words a newborn will hear, and children are taught to recite and understand the shahadah as soon as they are able to understand it. Muslims must repeat the shahadah in prayer, and non-Muslims wishing to convert to Islam are required to recite the creed.
Salah
The second pillar of Islam is salah, the requirement to pray five times a day at fixed times. Each salah is performed facing towards the Kaaba in Mecca. Salah is intended to focus the mind on God; it is seen as a personal communication with God, expressing gratitude and worship. According to the Qur'an, the benefit of prayer "restrains [one] from shameful and evil deeds". Salah is compulsory but some flexibility in the specifics is allowed depending on the circumstances. For example in the case of sickness or lack of space, a worshiper can offer salah while sitting, or even lying down, and the prayer can be shortened when traveling.
The salah must be performed in the Arabic language to the best of each worshiper's ability, although any extra prayers (du'a) said afterwards need not be in Arabic. The lines of prayer are to be recited by heart (although beginners may use written aids), and the worshiper's body and clothing, as well as the place of prayer, must be cleansed. Particularly, the body must be cleansed before any prayer, by washing up with water face, mouth, hair, hands, arms and feet in a purification ritual called ablution or wudu. All prayers should be conducted within the prescribed time period (waqt) and with the appropriate number of units (raka'ah). While the prayers may be made at any point within the waqt, it is considered best to begin them as soon as possible after the call to prayer is heard.
Zakat
Zakat, or alms-giving, is the practice of charitable giving by Muslims based on accumulated wealth, and is obligatory for all who are able to do so. It is considered to be a personal responsibility for Muslims to ease economic hardship for others and eliminate inequality. Zakat consists of spending a fixed portion of one's wealth for the benefit of the poor or needy, including slaves, debtors, travelers, and others. A Muslim may also donate more as an act of voluntary charity (sadaqah), in order to achieve additional divine reward.
There are two main types of zakat. First, there is the zakat on traffic, which is a fixed amount based on the cost of food that is paid during the month of Ramadan by the head of a family for himself and his dependents. Second, there is the zakat on wealth, which covers money made in business, savings, income, and so on. In current usage zakat is treated as a 2.5% levy on most valuables and savings held for a full lunar year, as long as the total value is more than a basic minimum known as nisab (3 ounces or 87.48 g of gold). Currently, nisab is said to be approximately US $1,750 or an equivalent amount in any other currency.
Fasting
Muslims traditionally break their fasts in Ramadan with dates, as was the practice (Sunnah, collection of hadith) of Muhammad (s), stated in the hadith (words and actions of Muhammad).
Three types of fasting (Sawm) are recognized by the Qur'an: Ritual fasting (2:183), fasting as compensation or repentance (2:196), and ascetic fasting (33:35).
Ritual fasting is an obligatory act during the month of Ramadan. Muslims must abstain from food, drink, and sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk during this month, and are to be especially mindful of other sins. The fast is meant to allow Muslims to seek nearness to God, to express their gratitude to and dependence on him, to atone for their past sins, and to remind them of the needy. During Ramadan, Muslims are also expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam by refraining from violence, anger, envy, greed, lust, harsh language, and gossip; in other words, they are expected to try to get along with each other better than normal. In addition, all obscene and irreligious sights and sounds are to be avoided.
Fasting during Ramadan is not obligatory for several groups for whom it would be excessively problematic. These include pre-pubescent children, those with a medical condition such as diabetes, elderly people, and pregnant or breastfeeding women. Observing fasts is not allowed for menstruating women. Other individuals for whom it is considered acceptable not to fast are those in combat and travelers who intended to spend fewer than five days away from home. Missing fasts usually must be made up soon afterwards, although the exact requirements vary according to circumstance.
Hajj
The hajj to the Kaaba in Mecca is an important practice in Islam.
The Hajj is a pilgrimage that occurs during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah in the city of Mecca. Every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so is obliged to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his or her lifetime. When the pilgrim is around ten kilometers from Mecca, he must dress in Ihram clothing, which consists of two white sheets.
The pilgrim, or the hajji, is honored in his or her community. For some, this is an incentive to perform the Hajj. Islamic teachers say that the Hajj should be an expression of devotion to God, not a means to gain social standing. The believer should be self-aware and examine his or her intentions in performing the pilgrimage. This should lead to constant striving for self-improvement.
Up to this point we have seen the basic beliefs of a Muslim. Now, I’ll try to clarify some of the most popular issues about our religion. Beware of length!
Jihad
In Islam, Jihad is considered Fard Kaffayyah. What this means is that it is a communal obligation. If a group of Muslims is being oppressed, then it is obligatory on a group of Muslims to fight the oppressors. As long as this group defends the innocent, then the rest of the Muslims are not obliged to fight Jihad. Jihad is Fard Al Ayn or obligatory and binding on only those who are in the country being occupied and oppressed.
"Allah does not forbid that you do good and make justice for those who do not fight you in the religion or drive you out from your homes. Indeed, Allah loves those who do justice. Allah only forbids your friendship with those who fight you in the religion and drive you out from your homes and back those who drive you out. And who befriends them, such are wrongdoers." - (Qur'an, Surah al-Mumtahana verses 8-9)
"Fight in the path of Allah those who fight you, but do not aggress. Surely Allah does not love the aggressors. And fight them where you come upon them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution is a worse thing than fighting...Then if they cease, so Allah is All-Forgiving, Gentle. And fight them until there is no more persecution and the religion is for Allah. But if they cease, so let there be no hostility except against wrongdoers." - (Qur'an, Surah al-Baqarat verses 190-193)
"And if they incline to peace, so you must incline to it." - (Qur'an, Surah al-Anfal verse 61)
"Therefore if they withdraw from you and do not fight you and offer you peace, then Allah has not given you a way to war against them." - (Qur'an, Surah an-Nisa verse 90)
Jihad does not translate to "holy war." It comes from the Arabic word "Juhd" or "struggle" and it means "to strive or struggle", referring to striving in the Path of God.
When the Muslims returned from battle, the Prophet told them: "You have come from the Lesser Jihad to the Greater Jihad - the striving of a servant (of Allah) against his desires."
There are thus two types of Jihad, the Greater Jihad and the Lesser Jihad.
The Greater Jihad is called "Jihad Al-Nufs". Al-Nufs means "the ego", so Jihad Al-Nufs refers to "the struggle against one's own ego."
The Prophet said: "The mujahid is he who makes jihad against his nafs (ego) for the sake of obeying Allah."
As Muslims, we believe that the human is continually being "attacked" by his ego, carnal desires, temptations, etc. The battle against these is the Greater Jihad, or rather, the Greatest Jihad.
As for the Lesser Jihad, this refers to "Holy War" and the defense of the oppressed against the oppressors. Both are noble concepts.
Comparing the Lesser Jihad (i.e. overcoming people on the battlefield) to the Greater Jihad (i.e. overcoming one's ownself), the Prophet said: "The strong one is not the one who overcomes people, (but rather) the strong one is he who overcomes his nafs (ego)."
In one instance, the disbelievers had taken certain actions that were angering many Muslims, to which God revealed:
"...let not the hatred of some people (towards you)...lead you to transgression and hostility on your part. Help each other in righteousness and piety, but do not help one another in sin and rancour: fear God" (Qur'an, 5:2)
Terrorism
Terrorism is strictly forbidden in Islam, specially when involving the killing of civilians.
When the Prophet (s) was advising his soldiers before battle, he instructed them: "Do not kill any old person, any child or any woman." (narrated Abu Dawud).
And the Qur'an states:
"...if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people...(Qur’an, 5:32)"
In this verse we clearly see that God honors all the innocent souls that He created. Killing any innocent soul is so hated by God that He considers it as a crime against all of mankind.
“And make not Allah's (name) an excuse in your oaths against doing good, or acting rightly, or making peace between persons; for Allah is One Who heareth and knoweth all things. Allah will not call you to account for thoughtlessness in your oaths, but for the intention in your hearts; and He is Oft-forgiving, Most Forbearing.” (Qur’an, 2:224-225)
Merit/Morals
God inspires us in the Qur’an that everyone is created equal except that they differentiate themselves based on their Taqwa (piety/good actions).
God says in the Qur’an:
“Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is he who is the most righteous of you.” (Qur’an, 49:13)
And the Prophet himself said in his final sermon that all human being were created equally “except by piety and good action (Taqwa). Indeed the best among you is the one with the best character (Taqwa). Listen to me. Did I convey this to you properly?…Each one of you who is here must convey this to everyone not present.” (Excerpt from the Prophet’s Last Sermon as in Baihiqi).
We are enjoined in the Qur’an:
"Let there be a community amongst you inviting to all that is good, and to command that which is just, and forbid that which is evil; and they shall be the successful." (Qur’an, 3:104)
"Allah will never change the condition of a people until they (first) change their inner-selves." (Qur’an, 8:53)
The Prophet said: "Truthfulness guides to righteousness and righteousness guides to Paradise. Verily, a man will be truthful until he is recorded with Allah as ever-believing. And lying guides to moral corruption and moral corruption guides to the fire."
"Truthfulness and lying are in combat in the heart until one of them expels the other." (Transmitted by Malik ibn Deenaar)
God inspires us in the Qur’an:
"O you who believe! Fear Allah and be in the company of those who are true in word and action." (Quran)
And the Prophet said in a hadith: "A dishonest person does not have any faith."
Also, Muhammad said: "If you guarantee me six things on your part I shall guarantee you Paradise: Speak the truth when you talk, keep a promise when you make it, when you are trusted with something fulfill your trust, avoid sexual immorality, lower your gaze (in modesty), and restrain your hands from injustice."
We read in another hadith:
”While the Apostle of Allah was sitting with some of his companions, a man reviled Abu Bakr and insulted him. But Abu Bakr remained silent. He insulted him twice, but Abu Bakr controlled himself. He insulted him thrice and Abu Bakr took revenge on him. Then the Apostle of Allah got up when Abu Bakr took revenge.
Abu Bakr said: "Were you angry with me, Apostle of Allah?"
The Apostle of Allah replied: "An angel came down from Heaven and he was rejecting what he had said to you. When you took revenge, a devil came down. I was not going to sit when the devil came down." (Sunan Abu-Dawud, General Behavior [Kitab Al-Adab], Book 41, Number 4878)”
Prophet Muhammad also said: "He who shows mercy (upon others), Allah will shower His mercy upon him. Be merciful to the people of this world so that the One above will show mercy on you."
And God says in another verse of the Qur’an:
"It was by the Mercy of Allah that you deal with them gently and had you been stern or hard-hearted, they would have certainly broken away from you: so pardon them their faults, and ask for Allah's forgiveness for them...Allah loves those who put their trust in Him." (Qur’an, 3:159)
Even animals must be given the maximum of respect. The Prophet was asked if acts of charity even to the animals were rewarded by God. He replied: "Yes, there is a reward for acts of charity to every beast alive."
Another hadith stated: "A good deed done to a beast is as good as doing good to a human being; while an act of cruelty to a beast is as bad as an act of cruelty to human beings"
And concluding, a wise advice:
"Take to forgiveness and enjoin good and turn aside from the ignorant." (Qur’an, 7:199)
Tolerance
God inspires us: "There is no compulsion in religion." (Qur’an, 2:256)
When Prophet Muhammad (s) defeated Mecca and conquered it, there were many Quraysh pagans still living there and no instance of expulsion has been reported. On the contrary, the Prophet protected them and forbade them from being expelled or harmed. Furthermore, the Prophet even allowed the People of Taif to stay inside the mosque, and these people were non-Muslims at the time. In another instance, the Prophet also recieved the Christians of Najran in his mosque in Medinah. In fact, the Christians even prayed in the mosque, and when some of the Prophet's Companions were going to intervene, the Prophet strictly commanded: “Leave them (to perform prayer).”
The Qur’an says:
"And one of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your tongues and colors; most surely there are signs in this for men of knowledge." (Qur’an, 30:22)
It is considered strictly Haram (forbidden) for a Muslim to demolish a temple of another faith. The First Caliph, on the behest of the Prophet, gave the following orders to the soldiers of Allah when they attacked the enemy forces in Non-Muslim lands:
"...[Do not harm] trees; do not kill an animal or a fruit tree; do not destroy markets; do not kill children, old men, or women. You will find some people who have retired in places of worship, so leave them there to practice in peace.
The Qur’an states:
"O you who believe! Let not some men among you mock at others: It may be that the latter are better than the former: Nor let some women mock at others: It may be that the latter are better than the former: Nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other, nor call each other by offensive names" (Qur’an, 49:11)
Prophet Muhammad said: "Whoever hurts a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state, hurts me..."
Finally, God inspires us in a beautiful verse:
"To every people have We appointed (different) ceremonies and rites which they observe; therefore, let them not wrangle over this matter with you, but do invite them to turn to your Lord. You indeed are rightly guided. But if they still dispute you in this matter, then (simply) say: 'God best knows the value of what you do.' Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection concerning that wherein you used to differ." (Qur’an, 22:68-69)
Woman
It is important to keep things equal between men and women, specially the rights. After all, the Prophet said: "The best of you are those who are the best to their women.". Muslims should believe in a strict code of chivalry which revolves around protecting, helping, respecting, and even pampering women. However, I believe it is very much possible to respect women and also respect gender segregation. Men and women are not equal, no matter how angry feminist movements are about this. Equal in rights, yet different in nature, feelings, way of perceiving things, etc.
Prophet Muhammad (s) said: "The most perfect of the believers is the best of you in character, and the best of you are those amongst you who are best to their wives." (narrated by Tirmidhi)
God says in the Qur’an:
"O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should you treat them with harshness...on the contrary, treat them with kindness and equity. If you take a dislike to them, it may be that you dislike a thing wherein Allah brings about through it a great deal of good." (Qur’an, 4:19)
And in a similar vein, the Prophet said: "A believing man should not hate a believing woman. If he dislikes something in her character, he should be pleased with another trait of hers." (narrated in Sahih Muslim)
The Prophet commanded men in another hadith: "Do not malign her (your wife)."
And God says in the Qur’an:
"And among His signs is this: He created for you mates from amongst yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your hearts: Verily in that are signs for those who reflect." (Quran, 30:21)
The Prophet said in his last sermon: "Treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers." (narrated Bahiqi)
In no uncertain terms, the Prophet said: "A woman is the Queen of her house."
God inspires us in the Qur’an:
"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that is purer for them. And Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty..." (Qur’an, 24:30-31)
About women dressing, the Qur’an encourages modesty:
"And say to the believing women to lower their gazes, and to guard their modesty, and not to display their (bodily) adornment except what is apparent of it, and to cover their bosoms, and not to display their adornment except to their husbands..." (Qur’an, Al-Nur:31)
Also, God says in the Qur’an:
"O Prophet! Say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the faithful to draw their outer-garments around themselves; that is better that they will be recognized and not annoyed. And God is ever Forgiving, Gentle." (Quran, 33:59)
Risk of raping has been always a problem for women, and outer-garments were simply the only dress an arab woman by that time was expected to wear.
About spiritual equality, see also:
"I will not waste the work of a worker among you, whether male or female..." (Qur’an, 3:195)
And:
"Whoever does good--whether male or female--and is a believer: We will most certainly make him live a happy life, and We will most certainly give them their reward for the best of what they did." (Qur’an, 16:97)
Wow, this surely is a dense post by now. Let me continue (almost finished, carry on!) with a mention of the People of the Book in the Qur’an, since probably many of the readers would respond to such denomination.
People of the Book
As a whole, the Qur’an encourages respect for the People of the Book, provided they are sincere in their belief of God, Who is only One, and are not at war with Muslims. Let’s see it in three verses:
”Recite what is sent of the Book by inspiration to thee and establish Regular Prayer: for Prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds; and remembrance of Allah is the greatest (thing in life) without doubt. And Allah knows the (deeds) that ye do.
And dispute ye not with the People of the Book except with means better (than mere disputation) unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong (and injury): but say "We believe in the Revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our Allah and your Allah is one; and it is to Him we bow (in Islam)."
And thus (it is) that We have sent down the Book to thee. So the People of the Book believe therein as also do some of these (pagan Arabs): and none but Unbelievers reject Our Signs.
And thou wast not (able) to recite a Book before this (Book came) nor art thou (able) to transcribe it with thy right hand: in that case indeed would the talkers of vanities have doubted.
Nay here are Signs self-evident in the hearts of those endowed with knowledge: and none but the unjust reject Our Signs.” (Qur'an 29:45-49)
Also:
”Not all of them are alike: of the People of the book are a portion that stand (for the right); they rehearse the signs of Allah all night long and then prostrate themselves in adoration.
They believe in Allah and the Last Day; they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong; and they (hasten in emulation) in (all) good works; they are in the ranks of the righteous.
Of the good that they do nothing will be rejected of them; for Allah knoweth well those that do right.
Those who reject faith neither their possessions nor their (numerous) progeny will avail them aught against Allah; they will be companions of the fire dwelling therein (for ever).
What they spend in the life of this (material) world may be likened to a wind which brings a nipping frost: it strikes and destroys the harvest of men who have wronged their own souls; it is not Allah that hath wronged them but they wrong themselves.” (Qur'an 3:113-117)
And:
They say: ‘Become Jews or Christians if ye would be guided (To salvation)’. Say thou: ‘Nay! (I would rather) the Religion of Abraham the True, and he joined not gods with Allah’. Say ye: ‘We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord: We make no difference between one and another of them: And we bow to Allah. So if they believe as ye believe, they are indeed on the right path; but if they turn back, it is they who are in schism; but Allah will suffice thee as against them, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” (Qur’an, 2:135-137)
Universality
I would like to concude commenting that Islam is a message for all mankind, and Muhammad is a universal messenger for men. It is stated in the Qur’an as such:
"We have not sent you (O Muhammad) but as a Universal Messenger to men, as a Bearer of Glad Tidings, and a Warner unto all of mankind, but most men know not." (Qur’an, 34:28)
And as the Prophet said in his last sermon:
"No Arab is superior to a non-Arab; nor is a non-Arab superior to an Arab; nor is a black man superior to a white man; nor is a white man superior to a black man."
The Qur’an celebrates differences in languages and races as a beauty of the creation and their diversity. In one chapter, the Qur’an talks about the signs of God being the beauty of the earth, and in this portion, the Qur’an talks about how peoples' different languages and colors is one such sign:
"And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colors. Verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge." (Qur’an, 30:22)
If you've reached this far, congratulations!
I hope this has clarified some things about Islam in reasonable deepness. I've utilized as sources Wikipedia (for basic beliefs, with some personal additions/acclarations) and my own comments and gathering of information from diverse sources.
Thank you and enjoy discussion.
Reply With Quote
Can't rep you though since it says I need to spread my reps.. Unfortunately I can't find any other posters to give reps to.. 
Originally Posted by SickBoy13
. Well I would like to congratulate you on a well thought out and well stated post. It's amazing how much more one can understand about Islam when one takes out a few minutes to read text like the text you posted.
